


Come Home

by sunshineflying



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Deployment, F/M, Kid Fic, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-19 21:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15519039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineflying/pseuds/sunshineflying
Summary: Ben Solo enlists in the army to better his future, and the future he dreams of building with his girlfriend Rey. He just hopes he can come back from his deployment in Afghanistan in time for one of the biggest, most important events of his and Rey's lives.





	Come Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AKnightOfWren](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKnightOfWren/gifts).



> Thank you SO MUCH to my betas, Julia and Emily. Your help on this was invaluable.
> 
> To Wren, I hope you enjoy <3

Ben had been bouncing his knee in his seat for the last half-hour of the flight. The flight crew had upgraded him to first class — a common courtesy given to soldiers in their uniforms, Ben had learned over the years — but even the cocktail they’d offered him during the flight did nothing to quell his nerves. This would be the first time he saw Rey since eight months ago — before deployment, before their lives changed in so many ways.

Eight long months without seeing her face and hearing her voice as she talked about her day.

The airport was a buzz. There were people everywhere, and several stopped to thank him for his service. Ben would always shake their hand, nod dutifully, and then continue on his way. He appreciated their comments, but on this particular day, all he could think of was one thing: Rey.

He grabbed his bag from the luggage area, and eagerly stepped through to the arrivals hall. There were people _everywhere_. Even Ben’s height was no advantage for him now. 

But then he heard his mother’s unmistakable voice, shouting above the crowd: “Ben! Over here!”

When he turned towards the noise, he spotted them instantly. Rey stood next to Leia, and Han had a strong hand on her shoulder; all of them watched with wet eyes and a massive swell of anticipation as he walked towards them. 

It had been far too long.

He’d just spent eight grueling months in the sweltering heat in Afghanistan. When Ben had received his deployment assignment he’d admittedly been a little wary. There were no further details to his job duties, and he’d heard plenty of stories. For the most part, the U.S. Army was assigned to the bomb defusal squads; Ben, however, had enlisted in the U.S. Marines. 

They’d all been nervous when he’d gone; he knew he’d be doing safe work, but that didn’t necessarily mean that he would be safe. He was going into an active conflict zone where anything could happen.

But now he was back, and his family was _right there_ , and his heart was racing in his chest because he didn’t know if he was back in _time_.

Rey had tears running down her cheeks as he grew closer, and he wanted desperately to sweep her up into a hug, but his mother and father swooped in and made it a group hug before he could protest. He indulged; he’d missed them all.

There were sniffles, lots of hands, and before Ben knew it he was finally able to wrap Rey up in his arms — just her. She trembled under his touch and he knew this had been hard on her; they’d talked about it, though — his enlistment. She’d agreed to it, supported him in his decision. It astounded him still that she chose to go through these emotions for _him_. 

As he held her, Ben had to fit himself around her differently. Between them, her belly protruded quite a bit, and it put the biggest of smiles upon his face. Ben leaned back to look into her eyes, brushing the tears from her cheeks, and looked down between them.

He’d known she was pregnant; she’d said so in the second letter she’d sent to him. Probably conceived the night before he’d left for deployment, given the timing of everything. 

But knowing that fact and seeing it with his own two eyes were completely different things. Rey was glowing with pride and happiness, her eyes sparkling with joy as he stood before her — and he hadn’t missed the birth.

Ben would have done just about anything to not miss the birth of his first child. As soon as he’d found out about the baby, he’d gone to his sergeant and done all the necessary paperwork to get home in time. The military may be strict, but they understood the importance of family. They had a job to do, but the platoon could do that job a man down for the final month of their deployment while Ben took a short leave.

It was overwhelming to know that his worry had been for naught, that he’d made it in time and he’d get to be there with Rey to welcome their first child into the world. He may even still be able to help set up the nursery. 

“I made it.”

Rey’s lower lip shook as she nodded her head, watching him with so many emotions swirling in her eyes — it was almost as though she thought he wouldn’t come home. That the sight of him standing before her may not have happened, ever again. He dropped a warm palm to the swell of her stomach in silent greeting to their baby.

“I missed you,” Ben spoke again. He glanced up at his parents, too, but he didn’t want to take his eyes off of Rey. He’d missed her _so much_.

She sniffled, but beamed brightly, reaching for his hand. “I missed you, too. We all did.” Her voice was soft and hoarse; she must have been crying for a while.

“How are you? How’s the baby?”

“We’re good,” she smiled, dabbing her palm at her cheek to wipe away the tears. “He’s healthy. Three weeks to go.”

“He?”

Rey nodded. They’d talked about having it be a surprise, about waiting until the birth to find out the sex of the baby, so Ben was a little confused. “The um…” Rey laughed. “Well, the doctor told your parents, and they accidentally told me, so…” 

“I’m sorry, Ben,” Leia said instantly. “You know how your dad is. Can’t keep his mouth shut sometimes.”

Han looked affronted, and Ben wanted to be angry, but Rey’s bright laughter told him it wasn’t worth getting upset over. “Sorry, kid,” Han chimed in. To his credit, he did look remorseful. “I was just so excited about a grandson. I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay,” Ben replied.

It didn’t matter. They were going to find out eventually, anyway. Besides, he’d love the baby no matter who or what they were, because the baby was _theirs_. His child. The first of several, he hoped.

Rey’s hand trembled slightly as she held is larger in her own. Gently, she brought it to rest on her belly, off to the side, up near her ribs. Beneath his palm, he could feel the fluttering pressure of something against it.

His eyes widened. “He kicked.”

“Yeah,” she nodded, smiling brightly. “He’s awake. He was excited to meet you.”

The joy Ben felt at that revelation was something he’d never be able to put into words. His son was there with them, awake, eager to meet his father. And in a few short weeks he’d be out in the world with them, a little soul for them to care for and protect.

_Protect._

Ben noticed the way his parents never strayed too far from Rey’s side as they talked; he was relieved that they’d been here to care for her and support her in his place, but part of him wished he’d been able to do that, too.

But he’d enlisted to better their future. He wanted to give her a good life, and himself as well. He’d wanted a good foundation on which they could one day get married and start a family. He’d known just a few months into their relationship (though he hadn’t said it until year two) that they were going to get married. 

And now here they were, with a baby on the way.

He didn’t have words. He had no idea what to say. All he could think to do was to scoop her up into another hug, to make up for eight long months with nothing but handwritten letters to get them through. 

“Should we head home?” Han suggested. “We’ve had the crib in a box for weeks now. Rey said nobody but you was allowed to build it.”

Ben looked to Rey, surprised that she’d waited so long to build the crib. What if the baby had come before he’d gotten home? She smiled and nestled against his side, an arm around his waist. “He can build it tomorrow,” she said happily. “Let’s just go home.”

  
———

Just two weeks later, at half past midnight, Rey’s water broke. Overseas, Ben had possessed the ability to stay calm and collected in even the most high-pressure situations, but this was something else. He’d barely managed to keep the car in the right lane as he drove them to the hospital — he kept looking over to make sure she was okay, that they’d make it in time.

They did, of course. Birth was a much longer process than Ben had originally thought. Leia and Han visited around eight o’clock that morning, after Rey had been panting and groaning for hours, just to say that if the baby was anything like Ben, Rey would still be there for a while. He’d put Leia through eighteen grueling hours of labor.

Rey was relieved when just after noon, as the thirteenth hour of labor approached, the doctor said it was time to push. Ben sat dutifully at her side, Rey’s grip crushing as the intensity of the birth consumed her. It was gross and chaotic but beautiful at the same time. She was bringing their son into the world. This would all be worth it.

Just past one o’clock on a bright sunny day that reminded Ben so greatly of Rey, their son was born. He’d waited for his father. He was the best homecoming gift Ben could have ever imagined.

And Rey. _God_ he loved her. Just moments after their son was born, Ben had felt such an overwhelming rush of love for her that he’d blurted out without a ring or any pre-written speech, “Marry me?”

Rey was exhausted and sweaty and held their son in her arms — he hadn’t even been washed off yet, that’s how new he was to the world. As soon as the words left him, Ben half-expected Rey to admonish him for choosing _now_ , of all moments. But instead, she’d looked up at him with tears in her eyes and a glowing smile on her face. “Yes. Of course.”

Both Rey and the baby needed to get washed up, so Ben allowed himself to be ushered out of the room. He delivered the good news to his parents: the baby was healthy, weighing in at a whopping nine pounds and two ounces, and already tall at a whole twenty-three inches long. And though he’d thought he outgrew it almost a decade before, Ben couldn’t deny just how happy it made him to have both of his parents wrap him up in a big hug, congratulating him.

When the nurses let him back in, Ben was at Rey’s side in an instant. She’d just finished feeding him, and looked seconds away from falling asleep. Ben pressed a tender kiss to her forehead and whispered, “I love you.”

After he gave her a second kiss, this one on her lips, Rey whispered back, “I love you, too.”

Han and Leia stood in the doorway, watching as their son interacted with Rey and the baby. They were grateful he’d been safe overseas, that he’d been able to come back to see the birth and to welcome his son into the world.

And then Rey asked Ben if he wanted to hold him.

Suddenly, Ben was frightened; he’d never held a baby before, which struck him in that moment as very odd. But he had no cousins, no siblings… what opportunity would he have had? Rey talked him through it — support the head, cradle him to your chest — and in seconds, Ben was doing it. The baby was so _light_ , and he felt like he was going to break him. But he was doing it.

The moment he looked down at the little boy resting peacefully in his arms, all thoughts Ben had of extending his service were gone. He didn’t want to miss a moment of this little one’s life, or the lives of any of their future children, either. Ben had served his country, set up a good foundation for their family, and now he was ready for the next steps: fatherhood, marriage — though he hadn’t pictured them in that order, it seemed to suit them.

They’d built a family, and he couldn’t have asked for anything more.


End file.
